


Coming soon: Ghostwriter

by Paige_Turner36



Series: Fics coming soon... [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alice has no relation to any version of Hook in this universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fic preview, Gen, Happy Beginning, Once Upon a Time storybook: Beauty and the Beast, Other, Quilt, Regina is Robyn's mother in this universe, Rumple ghostwriter, Second Chance, True Love, music box, new home, season 6 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-19 18:41:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19978720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: After Rumple makes the deal with Regina/The Evil Queen to leave Belle and his son alone, he sets about making final preparations to make sure his wife and son will be safe and happy... without him. Starting with fixing up the little derelict green house Belle had bought unseen from Weasleton, without magic.His last stop is a visit to his grandson Henry, the Author, to ask him to place him somewhere where he cannot "destroy" his loved ones: one of the empty storybooks. Rumple asks his grandson to place him at the moment of his true loves kiss with Belle, so he can see how different their story would have happened if he'd allowed her to break her curse.





	Coming soon: Ghostwriter

**Author's Note:**

> New idea in the works that I wanted to share. Not sure if or when this will be up, but here are a few pictures/rough extracts of what to expect.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of the images/gifs used. This is for fun and not for profit.

Belle's House before: Belle's House after:

Rumple's quilt:

'They are the best moments of my... sorry excuse for a life... Because memories... they're all I've got...'

From left to right:

Spinning wheel, becoming a father, chasing fireflies, "Don't worry, son. Everything's going to be fine", Baelfire, Hero of the Ogres War, the Dark One Dagger, the Dark Curse, Belle, the deal, the chipped cup, letting the light in, the rose, True Loves Kiss, Storybrooke

Post-curse reunion, hamburger and iced tea, hamburger date, "Now you can find your son", Neal Cassidy, Operation Cobra Rescue, sand dollar, Papafire reconciliation, Pandora's box, the Floof Family, nightshade cure, heroic sacrifice, the Wishing Well, the wedding, wedding rings

Mr and Mrs Gold first dance, the enchanted rose, Excalibur/the Purest Hero, Bearida, "We're going to have a baby", gramophone, dream realm dance, Rumbaby, remaining squares...:

Music Box:

Mixtape:

'But why that moment?' asked Henry. 'I thought letting go of my dad was your biggest regret? Or becoming the Dark One? Running from the ogres war?'

Rumple smiled sadly, shaking his head. 'No,' he said softly. 'No I want my memories of him. The good and the bad. I love Belle... but Bae's love for me was unconditional. He didn't care we were poor. He didn't care his papa had a bad reputation as a coward or a monster. He just loved _me_ , not a version me I had to be just so they could love me. Not a day passes that I don't regret letting my son go. But if I hadn't, I would never have met Belle, you wouldn't have your Charming grandparents, your amazing mothers, your heroic father...' Rumple gazed warmly at Henry, '...and I would never have my remarkable grandson.'

'What if it doesn't work?' said Henry. 'What if when I send you in there you won't remember any of this?'

'Then history will repeat itself and you'll be looking at _Once Upon a Time - the Novelization_. Hopefully I should have enough residual awareness to avoid a repeat performance.' Rumple played with his moonstone wedding ring. 'If things turn out... differently, I'd like you to give this to Belle for me. As consolation.'

'Of what?'

'That my True Love, my Happy Ending, is and has always been my loved ones.' 

Once Upon a Time: Beauty and the Beast:

' _"Once upon a time, there was a beast that took a girl prisoner. But he fell in love with her. And he let her go. That was when the girl knew that she loved him too. He thought he would never see her again. But despite his fears, she came back to him..."_ '

Belle enters the book to find Rumple:

https://desperatemurph.tumblr.com/post/185976603265/just-wanted-to-meet-you

'Rumple?' said Belle, taking her cup of tea.

'Yeah?' said Rumple, sitting down opposite her. Belle noticed that he still drank from their chipped cup.

'You had a happy life?'

'Very.'

'Even though you were no longer the Dark One. You never wanted... more?'

'I just said _very happy_. What more could I want? Did the job I enjoyed day after day. Watched my sons grow. Even adopted a daughter. Travelled the world, and saved a few while we were at it. Fought for things I believed in - and won... couple of times. Found the woman I loved. Fought hard to keep her, too. Lived my life with her.'

Belle cradled her unchipped cup in her hands, worrying her bottom lip. 'You had the perfect marriage?'

'No marriage is perfect anymore than people are perfect. Even Snow White and Prince Charming had their disagreements. There were complications, Mrs Gold. Loss and gain. Prejudice and pride. But it all turned out just...' Rumple smiled at the memory. '...golden.'

**Author's Note:**

> So what do we think?
> 
> This originally started as just the quilt made by Rumple for their baby, but at the time I discovered I couldn't upload images from My Pictures unless they were uploaded on some sort of online account. But like many ideas, it had developed since then.
> 
> The Mixtape you'll remember from 'Who I really Am...'.
> 
> Lines of last conversation taken from John Lennon in Yesterday 2019, played by Robert Carlyle (Uncredited).
> 
> As mentioned above I own none of these images - especially the Rumbelle/Beauty and the Beast storybook, but I can't find the original link to give credit to the genius who made it.


End file.
